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The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, April 6, 2004-29 Tips on starting For many people, it's the prefe (NC)--If you only draw on local resources of bedding and potted plants, you're likely miss- ing a huge vari- ety of plant types... beautiful, healthy flowers and vegetables that are often only available as seed. Many veteran gardeners prefer to grow from seed, for a number of reasons: " A bigger variety of plants to choose from. • Much lower costs, so you can fill a larger area of garden on a budget. • Start gardening earlier in the spring. " A greater sense of accomplishment. " Just plain fun. Gardeners who grow from seed also claim their plants are healthier and hardier. Here's a brief "how to' guide to get you started: Supplies: Pick up a supply of growing trays and mini-pots at your garden centre. Make sure they're the kind that allow good drainage. Also get some premium quality seed starting mix - important to prevent seedlings being attacked by soil-borne dis- ease or fungus. Another staple for experi- enced growers is No-Damp®, a fungicide used on seedlings to prevent a common fungal plant disease called damping-off. Planting: Depending on the type of plant, start seeds 4 to 8 weeks before the last frost if you plan to move.them outdoors. If you plan to keep your plants inside, start any- time. Nearly-fill each compartment of your tray/mini-pots with sterilized soli. Sprinkle a few seeds into each compartment/pot and cover with a little soi. Water well and cover each tray/pot with clear plastic. Store in a warm place. Once the seedlings have appeared, plants from seed rred way to begin a garden. uncover them and move to a sunny spot, turn- ing trays/pots re gularly. Watering them with a solution of Plant-Prod® Plant Starter Fertilizer 10-52-10 to encourage root development will also make them much healthier when you move the seedlings outside. Transfer to larger pots when the seedlings are 7-9 cm (3-4 inches) tall. Moving seedlings into the garden: Two weeks before you're ready to transplant, 'harden" your new seedlings by taking them outdoors for a few hours each day. It's a good idea to prepare your garden soil a couple of weeks ahead of planting, too. Tilling the soil early will fool weeds into germinating early, and you can then pull them to reduce competition with your seedlings. When there is no longer any risk of frost, take the seedlings out of the pots and plant them into the garden. Use a special transplanting fertilizer such as Wilson Transplanter with Roots to stimulate root growth and reduce transplant shock. Water regularly and feed with a high quai- ity fertilizer like PINK All-Purpose Garden Food. Perennials started from seed will usual- ly re-grow larger the following spring, and spread rapidly if conditions favour their growth. You can also try harvesting seeds from your annual plants and vegetables (except for hybrid varieties) for replanting the following year. Dry the seeds slowly, and store them in a cool, dry place over winter. Then repeat the same planting steps out- lined earlier. Give seeds a try this spring. It's a great way to increase your gardening satisfaction ...and a good activity for children tool The bugs are coming! (NC)-Winter time is resting time for virtually all forms of Canadian plant life. During this dormant peri- od there is no active growth and for fruit and other deciduous trees, no green foliage or buds. As a result, it's the ideal time to apply dormant sprays, which could not be tolerated by the tender foliage present during the growing season. Aptly named, dormant sprays are highly effective in controlling such harmful pests as scale insects, which are extremely resistant to conventional products. These insects live under protective caps that appear as humps or scales on the surface bark of the tree. Dormant sprays soak through the scale, smothering the tiny insects where they live before the growing season begins. Dormant sprays also destroy other sucking insects and the overwintering eggs of mites, aphids, pear psylla, and leafrollers. The two common dormant sprays are Dormant Oil and Liquid Lime Sulphur. Dormant Oil, when mixed with water for spraying, is an effective insect control measure. Liquid Lime Sulphur, on the other hand, offers a one-two punch. It controls the insects mentioned above, as well as maple gall and spruce gall aphids. It's also an effective measure in the control of certain fungi. For example, dis- eases such as Peach Leaf Curl, Plum Black Knot, Apple Scab, and Rose Black Spot can usually be prevented with a pre-season appli- cation. Dormant sprays are most effec- tive when applied in the early Spring, but certain growing season applications can also be benefi- cial. If you'd like to cut your spray- ing time in half and achieve maxi- mum effectiveness from your efforts, consider using Green Earth Dormant Spray Kit, which contains both Dormant Oil Spray and Liquid Lime Sulphur. These two products are registered for mixing and spray- ing together as a Combination Dormant Spray. Remember, whichever dormant spray product you choose, be sure to follow application directions carefully for best results. . . . . . . . . . ....... .....